Bill Clinton on Romney tax return: voters must decide

On Face the Nation, Bill Clinton talks Romney tax return, Hillary for president in 2016.

Former US President Bill Clinton speaks on stage during day two of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on Sept. 5, 2012 in Charlotte, NC. (Alex Wong/AFP/Getty Images)

Former president Bill Clinton suggests voters will decide if Mitt Romney released enough information about his income and tax returns.

Speaking to “Face the Nation” on CBS News in New York this morning, Clinton said Romney’s release of his 2011 tax return Friday is skewed.

The last two years, Romney hasn’t received any regular income due to his run for president, Clinton said.

Most of Romney’s $13,696,951 earnings came from capital gains, which the US taxes at 15 percent by law.

Clinton lauded Romney’s contributions to charity and the Mormon Church, but suggested there’s little information anyone can glean from one year of reporting.

“It would be interesting, I think, for the American people to see how the ordinary years were treated, but apparently we’re not going to see that, so the voters will just have to make up their minds,” Clinton said.

Clinton said four years ago, Republican nominee John McCain released two years, but had filed Senate returns leading up to the 2008 election.

On Obama’s chances, it will be close thanks to Republican efforts to “reduce the number of young people, first generation immigrants, and minorities voting. And they have worked hard at this.”

On Romney’s infamous 47 percent comment, an “enormous number of these people who were dropped out were dropped out for reasons of work and family, not dependents. These people are working their hearts out.”

On Congress, after November 6, “the incentives for gridlock will go way down and the incentives for action will go way up.”